ENGLISH
REFERENCE

inactivation

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˌɪˌnæktɪˈveɪʃən// in·ac·ti·va·tion

n. the process of making something stop working or become less active. In science, it often describes how a virus or a chemical loses its power to cause harm.

n. the process of rendering a substance, organism, or mechanism ineffective or non-functional. Often refers to the neutralization of biological agents like viruses or enzymes.


SIMPLE

The vaccine uses inactivation to stop the virus from spreading.

CONTEXTUAL

Researchers are studying the inactivation of specific genes to understand how they affect the body's immune response.

COMPLEX

The rapid inactivation of the enzyme by high temperatures explains why the chemical reaction ceases immediately once the heat source is removed.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From in- + activation or inactive + -ation.

© 2026 English Reference